Cover of The Maze Runner

The Maze Runner

by James Dashner

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Among the most widely assigned — 8 curriculum lists · 8 states

Grade placement varies by school — the median assigned book spans 4 grade levels (83% span three or more, across 13,258 source-cited assignments).

On reading-award lists:Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice AwardCharlotte AwardOregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA)Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award+4 more

The Maze Runner by James Dashner is assigned in US schools at grades 7–12. It appears across 8 curriculum references and 8 states, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where The Maze Runner is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

Grade range
Grades 7–12
Age range
Ages 12–17
First published
2009
Genre
Dystopian
ISBN-13
9781908435484

New to these terms? Reading levels by grade

More formats & details

Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook

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Part of a series — read in order

Similar grade-level books

See all books like The Maze Runner→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This Dystopian title, typically at grades 7–12. Written in the 2000s; pairs with curriculum units on survival and memory; cited across 8 curriculum frameworks.

Themes

survival · memory · friendship

Where this book is assigned

Show 2 more awards & assignments

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Common questions

What grade level is The Maze Runner?
The Maze Runner is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 7–12. It appears on 8 school reading lists across 8 states. Exact placement varies by school and district.
What curricula assign The Maze Runner?
The Maze Runner appears on reading lists for Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award, Charlotte Award, Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers, and 5 others. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The Maze Runner banned in schools?
The Maze Runner has documented removals from at least one public-school district in 1 state (FL) per PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. Policies vary by district.
What themes does The Maze Runner explore?
Central themes in The Maze Runner include survival, memory, friendship.

Why this book is on this list

How we classify

Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.

Lexile measure
Not classified — this book has no published Lexile measure.
Grade band
Grades 7–12 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 8 curricula on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
Cited in 8 states ELA frameworks or DOE list (see citations above).
Removal / banning records
Documented as challenged or removed in 1 state per PEN America’s Index of School Book Bans — see the full banned & challenged books list.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: award-nominee, award-winner, book-club, read-aloud.

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